Patriots' Ryan Mallett, Tim Tebow also expected to play

Hours before the New England Patriots faced the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in an exhibition game in Foxboro Friday night, all indications were that Tom Brady would play despite spraining his left knee Wednesday.

Brady gave no hints that the knee was troubling him at Thursday’s walkthrough, not in the number of reps he took or in how mobile he was while wearing a hinged brace. His only hint about Friday’s game was his last comment to reporters while passing them on his way off the field, according to the Boston Globe: “See you tomorrow. Thanks, guys.’’

Brady played two series in the preseason opener last week in Philadelphia. It remains to be seen how many more, or less, he might play Friday, against the same Bucs team that was part of the knee scare Wednesday at a joint practice.

However, in the second preseason game of last season, Brady did not play at all, despite not being injury.